Means for positioning an elevator platform at predetermined levels



T A EL 8 L. K. SANDER TF Aug. 30, 1955 S E L MEAN POSITIONING AN EVATOR PLA AT PREDETERMINED LEVELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1955 ATTORNEY HHN H N JN ll'llll lllllul' Leo K.Sonders Vaughn A.S ers 1 ENTORS y ll g- 5 SANDERS ET AL 2,716,466

MEANS FOR POSITIONING AN ELEVATOR PLATFORM AT PREDETERMINED LEVELS Filed April 13, 1953 3 Sheet 2 I I 3,3 t?) MW HM I Ct; l: I: J1

23 I a Q I M h M m I 1 I I I I I l I y I 1 Leo K Sanders nAsande /4 Fl.g 3 INVENTORS VMZ/ ' ATTY,

Aug.'30, 1955 K. SANDERS ET AL 2,716,466

MEANS FOR POSITIONING AN ELEvAToR PLATFORM AT PREDETERMINED LEvELs 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 15, 1953 Leo K Sanders Vaughn A. Sanders INVENTORS g%flfl III/[III],

ATTORNEY United States Patent -MEANS FOR'POSITIONING ELEVATOR sPLATFORM AT .PREDETERMINED LEVELS Leo K. Sanders and Vaughn A. Sanders, Spokane, Wash., assignors to Pigeon'Hole Parking, Inc., Spokane, Wash., a corporation of Washington Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,402

.2 Claims. (Cl. 187-76) being released without raising the platform from the level.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an elevator platform positioning means which may be manually controlled to pass certain levels and properly align the platform at a selected one of the levels during each movement.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an elevator platform positioning means which comprises stop blocks carried by the guide frame of the elevator and cooperating latches movable into and out of locking engagement with the stop blocks.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an elevator platform positioning means which comprises pivotally supported downwardly angled latches adapted to move in an are below the horizontal diameter and, therefore, requiring the elevator platform to be lifted before the latches may be disengaged from cooperating stop blocks.

Another object of the invention is to generally improve elevator level positioning means to virtually elimimate the danger of wear accidentally permitting an elevator to drop from a level.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a traveling vehicle elevator which embodies our present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the vertically movable platform adapted to be supported in the guide frame of an elevator and showing its association with one corner post of the frame;

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation showing one of the latches bearing upon a stop block and having portions broken away for convenience of illustration;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the platform positioning means dissociated from the platform which it supports; and

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse cross section taken through one of the latch supporting housings carried by the platform.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, we have shown a mobile or traveling elevator movable along spaced rails 11 and having a guide frame 12 comprising corner posts 13 suitably braced and united to form a rigid guide frame for the vertically movable elevator platform 14 carried therein. The elevator 10 is adapted for use with a multi-level storage structure and, there fore, the elevator platform 14 is movable successively to selected levels for the purpose of storing or removing vehicles or other objects.

As indicated in Figure 2, the platform 14 is provided 2,716,466 Patented Aug. 30, 1955 with a traveling dolly 15 which has a vehicle lifting jack portion 16 adapted to be shifted under a vehicle, lift the vehicle from its wheels and transport it onto the elevator Where it is elevated to the selected level, thence shifted off of the elevator by the dolly 15 and dposited on the storage structure.

The elevator platform is provided with wheels 17 disposed in a transverse vertical plane and adapted to run in the channels 18 of the corner posts 13. It will be understood that there is one corner post 13 at each corner of the elevator platform and they are associated therewith, as is the one post shown.

The corner posts 13 each are provided with a plurality of stops 19 which are wedge-shaped metal blocks welded to the post 13 and positioned vertically along the corner posts at the respective floor levels of the storage structure. When the dolly 15 is being moved from the elevator platform to the storage structure, it is necessary that the elevator platform 14 be disposed in proper horizontal alignment with the floor level of the storage structure. To accomplish this, we have provided the structure which comprises the subject matter of this present application.

As shown in Figure 5, the platform is provided with longitudinally extending channel beams 21 united by means of cross beams 22 and define the transverse edges of the platform 14. Latch housings 23 are secured at the corners of the platform by welding, or otherwise, and these housings comprise spaced vertically disposed plates 25 welded to a spacing block 26 at the lower ends thereof.

Since all of the housings are identical, the description of one will sufiice to .disclose the structure of each one in dividually. The upper outer corner of the housing is cut at an angle, as seen at 27, and a block 28 is Welded to the edge of the cut 27 and to the inside face of the plate 25 and is provided with an internally threaded aperture midway its length to receive an adjusting bolt 29 which is secured bymeans of a lock nut 30. A transversely extending bolt 31 or pivot pin passes through the plate 25 at its upper end and a downwardly extending angled latch 20 is pivotally carried thereon.

Each latch 20 is provided with a right angle end face 21 adapted to bear upon the stop 19 and against the post 13 to prevent downward'movement of the platform 14. It is necessary to shift the latch downwardly in an arc to withdraw it from alignment with the stops 19 and, therefore, it is required that the platform 14 be lifted before the latch 20 may be shifted. With other types of latches which move horizontally, the stop 19 or latchor both, become worn and the latch then slips from the stop by cam action and permits the platform to drop. The present latch movement eliminates this wear and provides a safe positioning means for the platform.

To permit simultaneous manual control of the four latches, we have provided reciprocable rods which are united in such a way that pressure upon a treadle or foot lever 33 will cause the several latches to be pivoted away from their respective stops 19. The treadle 33 is secured to a crank arm 34 carried by a rock shaft 35 journaled at 35' to the platform 14 and the shaft 35 carries a parallel crank arm 34 at its opposite end. An adjustable length rod 36 is pivotally united to the arm 34' at one end and is pivotally united with the latch 20 at the opposite end, and as the arm 34 is rocked the latch 20 is withdrawn.

, A second link or rod is indicated at 38 and is pivotally united at one end to the arm 34 and at the other end to its respective latch 20 and moves the latch away from the stop 19. This link is connected to a second arm 39 which is carried by the journal or pivot 40 of the latch and the latch 20 is rigidly united with the pin 40 so that rocking movement of the arm 39 causes the latch to move into and out of engagement with the stop.

The two latches at one end of the platform are provided with upwardly extending ears 41 and these are pivotally united to adjustable rods 4-2 which are pivotally secured at the opposite ends to cars carried by the opposed latches 20.

Therefore, it can be seen that as treadle bar 33 is depressed, rock bar 35 will rock arms 34 and 34 which in turn, through rods 36 and 38, will shift respective latches 20 away from the stops 19, and simultaneously ears 41 Will reciprocate rods 42 shifting the latches 29 at their opposed ends away from their respective stops. The rods 42 are provided with turnbuckles 43 which provide for their longitudinal adjustment. A spring 44 is secured to the treadle or arm 34 at one end and to the platform 14 at the other end to maintain the latches biased for engagement with the stops 19.

Having thus described our invention, We claim:

1. Means for positioning an elevator platform comprising stops on the guide frame of the elevator at the several predetermined levels, latches each pivotally carried by the platform at a downward incline and movable in a vertical are below horizontal into and out of locking engagement with said stops; a bar extending above each 4 said latch in spaced parallel relation to each pivot of the latch; a bolt threaded through each said bar and disposed to contact its corresponding latch to limit the sweep of the latch toward horizontal; and adjustable means correlating said latches for simultaneous movement and adapted for manual operation of the latches.

2. In an elevator platform positioning means including latches pivotally movable in a vertical arc and adapted to cooperate with stops carried by the elevator platform guide frame, means for adjustably limiting the sweep, of the latch comprising a bar secured in spaced relation to said latch in the path of movement thereof; and a bolt threaded through-said bar and disposed to contact said latch to limit the sweep of the latch in its arc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 733,907 Hanson et al. July 14, 1903 1,101,102 Steedman June 23, 1914 2,626,065 Sanders et a1. Jan. 20, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 59,463 Germany' June 10, 1913 

